Diam 24: World’s Coolest Yachts

Yachting World has been asking top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Swiss ocean racer Ollie Heer picked the Diam 24. Here’s the report:

“A cool boat is not just about how fast it goes, because often they can become very expensive and difficult to run, but a Diam 24 is the ultimate fun toy,” says Heer.

The Diam 24 is a one-design trimaran designed by VPLP. It was the class for the prestigious Tour de France à la Voile for five editions, and has fleets at major events in both Europe and the Caribbean. It can be disassembled for easy transportation, and races with three or four crew.

However, Heer uses his for fun sailing on the Swiss lakes. “It’s a fantastic weekend boat. When I go out just for fun I don’t need a start or finish line – in fact, I quite often take my wife with me and even our dog. The dog sits on the trampoline, and we’re doing 20 knots on Lake Zurich!

“You don’t need much wind, you don’t need much crew, you don’t need too much experience. You can step on, hoist the sails, and even with the slightest breeze you’ll exceed the wind speed. And if there’s no wind, it’s a perfect platform to go for a swim because it’s such a stable, big trampoline.”

Diam 24 stats rating
Top speed: 25 knots
LOA: 7.24m/23.75ft
Launched: 2014
Berths: 0
Price: €40,000
Adrenalin factor: 60%

For Yachting World’s list of cool boats, click here.